


Arcane Souls

by AnotherMHFan



Category: Marble Hornets
Genre: M/M, Vampire AU, Vampire!Tim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-16 22:43:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13645953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherMHFan/pseuds/AnotherMHFan
Summary: Vampire AU. Gay boys. What could possibly go wrong?In which Tim is a vampire and struggles to keep his teeth off of Brian (but his hands are entirely free to wander).





	1. Chapter 1

Brian wasn’t sure what to expect when he walked through the door. It was his first day at the university, and he’d been assigned a dorm to share with a certain Timothy Wright. He’d never met the man before, and really Brian shouldn’t be worried (though doubts did cross his mind; what if his roommate was sloppy? What if he snored?) because he knew regardless of what this Tim was like, he was sure they’d get along just fine.

Brian was a very easy-going person, and he believed that the best way to live life was to just dive right in with a smile on his face. Nothing, no matter how terrible it was, couldn’t be fixed (not that he was optimistic all the time; simply that he preferred to think positively when facing a problem, because it’d make it much easier to solve), and if not fixed, then manageable.

With a suitcase in one hand and determination in the other, he opened up his room door to find it disappointingly empty. Nothing was inside, save for two bare white beds on each side of the room, peeling gray walls and a window that was cracked open, letting the sickly sweet smell of the summer rain in.

He sighed softly and placed his bag on the bed to the right and figured he’d best settle in. The students had all day to arrive after all, so it shouldn’t surprise him that Tim wasn’t there yet. Besides, Brian had arrived at the earliest possible time because he simply couldn’t wait to start college (after all, it was the next great adventure in his relatively plain and normal life. Change was good and Brian embraced it fully).

Hours passed. Brian had cleaned up the room (it was a bit dusty and there was an odd stain on the floor that smelled suspiciously like nacho cheese, but it was nothing a bit of cleaner and copious scrubbing couldn’t fix!) to the best of his abilities and had unpacked his belongings. Not that he had much aside from clothes and hygiene necessities, but there were a few pictures of his family he’d left on his nightstand, and he put up a poster of an old rock band he liked. And of course, stacks of endless college books. He majoring in psychology after all, and was going to minor in biology in case it didn’t quite work out.

He had even explored the campus again, making sure he knew the layout properly (even though he had done this dozens of times when visiting before) and still, his roommate had yet to show. Ah well, perhaps he had gotten lost. Or maybe they switched him to a different dorm. Regardless, there was nothing Brian could do about it.

Night had fallen and still no sign of him. Brian had started to doze off now, eyes slowly falling shut when suddenly he heard a soft knock at the door. Pulling himself up from the bed, he walked quietly across the floor, toes numb and tingling from the blood rush. Opening the door, he found himself face to face with dark chocolate eyes (so dark in fact, that Brian thought they were endless pits and that if he got any closer, he might just fall in).

The stranger had midnight hair and a pale complexion, dark purple rings lining each of his eyes. A small bag dangling loosely in his right hand and he shifted his weight uneasily. Everything inside of Brian screamed **_DANGER_** , and not to go near him, but really there was nothing to be afraid of. He didn’t understand why his heart started to flutter uneasily, why little spikes of fear and worry ravaged him because the stranger seemed utterly harmless. He was thinner than Brian, shorter, and clearly sleep deprived, and he hadn’t even said anything yet. So why then, why did his instincts tell him to slam the door and turn aside?

A mellow, quiet voice broke through Brian’s thoughts. “Sorry if I woke you, I just um…” He seemed to fidget a little uncomfortable, as if not sure what to say. Brian was too caught up in surprise at how soft his voice was (really, he was expecting something deeper and rougher given his appearance), and was still listening to the words echo in his head.

Brian realized he should probably reply or say something (he couldn’t just stare at him for hours on end) and helped him out a little, sensing the man’s insecurity (within these few seconds, Brian could already tell he was extremely introverted). “You’re Tim, right?”

The pale man nodded and Brian flashed a small smile. “I’m Brian, Brian Thomas.”

An odd silence followed after Tim muttered a “nice to meet you” and shuffled his feet. Brian, once more, was trying to understand why his subconscious was berating him, telling him not to trust Tim, and too many uncomfortable seconds passed before he embarrassingly moved out of the doorway, figuring Tim probably wanted to come in.

“Oh sorry, you can come in. I promise I won’t bite.” A worried and slightly suspicious expression crossed Tim’s face as Brian said that, but Brian didn’t catch it. In fact, there were a lot of things Brian didn’t notice about Tim, and if he did, passed them off as simple coincidences.

For example, it was a few weeks later when Brian realized that Tim never really left their dorm during the day. Actually, it seemed he rarely left at all. He had a few evening classes, but those were only on Mondays and Wednesdays, so for the most part he dwelled in their room like a bat in its cave; quiet, curled up in his bed, and buried in the dark (Brian once told Tim that analogy and thought it was rather funny; Tim, however, disagreed). He slept all day and from what Brian observed, was awake for most of the night. And in the off chance he wasn’t sleeping, he was writing a paper for a class or strumming absentmindedly on his guitar.

Brian also noticed other odd things, such as the fact that he had never seen Tim eating or drinking. He’d lived with him for months and not once had he seen him have a snack or even sip the tiniest bit of water. And if he thought about it, Tim always knew when someone was coming to the door or would even complain sometimes about how loud the people above them were being. But Brian, no matter how much he strained his ears, couldn’t ever hear a thing. Maybe Tim was just a very good listener.

Those strange quirks about Tim just made Brian want to know him more. And so Brian made it his mission to understand the enigma that was Tim. He wanted to know him, and at the very least, befriend him. They were living together after all, and it would be very uncomfortable if they were supposed to treat each other as strangers for the rest of the year. Brian would ask him questions and pester him and Tim, usually, would shut Brian down and reply with simple “yes”, “no”, or “I’m tired, can we do this later?” responses. So Brian would tell Tim things about himself, in hopes of having Tim trust him. Tim, at first, didn’t say anything. Brian could feel he was a little annoyed at how he would suddenly ramble about his family or classes and Tim was stuck there, forced to listen. But eventually, he began to open up and give Brian little pieces of himself too.

Gradually, over time, Brian was able to lower the barrier between them and they quickly became very close. Tim was very pleasant to talk to and was a lot funnier than Brian had thought. He began to pick up parts of Tim that made him a lot more human (as before, he was just another body in the room). He loved animals and was an excellent musician (not to mention singer. Brian only caught him singing once and that was to the intro of one of their shows (as they had started to binge Netflix together on their days off) and immediately after Tim regretted it and made Brian swear to never tell anyone he had heard him sing). He preferred chocolate over vanilla. His humor was the type to laugh at innocent things, like animals performing stupid actions. He was sweet, and Brian cherished every new piece of Tim he learned.

Soon, the two of them had reached in a point in their relationship that they found themselves nearly inseparable. Tim even began to venture outside of the dorm with Brian (though Brian never noticed it was only during the evening/night hours) and they’d go out to have dinner together or go wander the campus (as it really was nice to get out and breath fresh air every once in a while). And soon there came a time when Brian began to feel as if this wasn’t quite enough for him. He wanted to be closer to Tim; he craved something beyond a friendship. He couldn’t help but have his heart skip nervously when Tim got a too close to him or when their hands accidentally brushed. When Tim would smile (which was rather rare), it felt like his chest just might explode because Tim in all his oddities, was perfect.

Brian, undeniably, was in love.

But he didn’t know if Tim returned the feelings. After all, they’d only known each other for a little over half a year, and Tim never expressed an interest in men. Then again, he had never expressed an interest in women either, but that wasn’t much comfort to Brian. Finally, a few weeks after Brian realized he had fallen for Tim, every feeling in his chest came to bubble up and rise inside of Brian, threatening to overwhelm him, until finally it did.

“Tim?” Brian felt his pulse rise unsteadily and he sat up on the edge of his bed, running his fingers over the seams in his bed sheet nervously. The soft strumming from across the room stopped (as Brian couldn’t really see Tim, even with the curtains open, as the moonlight only beamed through the center of the room. Everything past it was a hazy form of gray or black and Tim was pressed against the wall, farthest from it).

“Yeah?”

“Have you… I mean, would you ever… I-I guess I’m trying to ask if…” A few more jumbled words came from Brian and he stood up, pacing. He couldn’t help but get jittery and pace when he was scared or worried, it was just a tic of his.

Tim immediately sensed something was wrong (after all, Brian was the easy-going and charming one between the two of them. Brian always knew what to say and he never stuttered or struggled to get his point across). Tim set the guitar down and stood to meet him, letting a hand fall to Brian’s shoulder in a comforting sort of way, causing Brian to stop.

“What’s wrong?”

Brian was glad his face was still hidden in the shadows, because he couldn’t help let his cheeks flush at feeling Tim so close to him. Those dark eyes seemed to call to him, begging him to just give in and cast aside his doubts. _Do it_ , a part of Brian whispered. _Do it and don’t look back._

Both time and his heart seemed to stop as he gazed at him, lips trembling slightly as he tried once more to explain but no sound came out. Suddenly, his fingers twitched and he was only numbly aware of everything that happened after. Because it was in one fluid movement that Brian leaned in and pushed his lips on Tim’s.

Barely a fraction of a second had passed in which Tim was stiff was surprise and in that small moment, Brian wondered if what he was doing was right. Every part of him screamed for Tim to kiss him back, even if he didn’t feel the same, to humor him just this once. He needed Tim like he needed air and he couldn’t stop himself now.

It was only with the smallest hesitance that Tim did kiss him back, pressing his hands up against Brian’s cheeks and pulling him closer, closer now until every part of them was connected. Heart beat against heart, as one, together. A warmth uncoiled and flowed from the pit of Brian’s stomach and spread until every part of him felt like he was on fire, but in the way that it was hot and empowering, like he could never be hurt again, not if Tim was there.

Tim started to nip and then bite at Brian’s lower lip now; he hadn’t expected Tim to get this rough this quickly, but it’s not like he was going to protest. He hummed and let his hands creep up to the back of Tim’s head, fingers burying themselves in the midnight mess. And just as he had begun to grow more comfortable, just as he had thought they had broken the boundary between them and he was sure his feelings of affection and adoration were requited, Tim jerked back suddenly. Brian gasped involuntarily and a sharp pain left his lip numb and tingling, with a small bubble of blood forming over it.

As fast as it happened, it was over. A cold numbness seeped through him and Brian felt as if all the fire inside of him had escaped and left him barren and empty. Had he done something wrong? He knew he did rather force himself on Tim, but Tim _kissed him back_. Hadn’t he?

Tim’s back was to Brian and he could see him panting heavily, one hand covering his mouth like he too was shocked by what they had done. Seconds that stretched into eternities passed until finally, finally Brian’s voice cracked and he spoke.

“I-I’m so sorry if that crossed a line, I-”

His voice broke and he fell into silence, waiting for Tim to say something. But he didn’t.

Brian figured the best way to resolve this was to try again, to apologize properly. Right now, he had no clue what the matter was, only that Tim was quivering slightly (could he be crying? Oh god, Brian never meant to force him into anything; he never meant to hurt him!) and that the silence had gone on for too long. His heart beat had slowed now and would give a heavy thump every now and then, reminding him how much it hurt for Tim to tear away so quickly.

He swallowed thickly, and tried to apologize once more. It was the best thing he thought to do, to truly show his regret and maybe get Tim to speak to him again. “I didn’t mean to force you to… I just thought that maybe you…” He cleared his throat. “It was wrong of me to-”

“Shut up.”

Brian’s words faltered and his heart felt as if it had plummeted deep into his chest and stopped working altogether. It was quiet for a moment before Brian found the right words, because surely Tim didn’t mean that.

“Please, I didn’t mean to hurt you-”

“Hurt me? _Hurt me?_ ” His shoulders tensed and Brian suddenly understood why Tim was shaking; it wasn’t because of tears, but rather because of a rising mix of fear and anger. “You’re not the one who… who...”

Brian tried to understand what Tim meant. He was implying he didn’t blame Brian for what happened, nor did he regret it. What then, what was the issue? A fleeting thought suggested that maybe Tim had never kissed a man before, or that perhaps it was some other personal reason. Regardless, Brian didn’t fully understand and Tim didn’t seem keen on explaining.

Brian’s voice was soft. “Tim, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Tim’s head shook ever so slightly, refuting the statement. “You have no idea what could have happened. I could have-” Tim stopped himself before going further, as if he had almost let something slip. A shaky breath followed by a hiccupped sort of laugh, his body still trembling.

“We rushed into this, I get it. If you’re uncomfortable-”

Tim cut him short. “It’s not that.”

“Then is it me? If you don’t want to be with me, that’s fine. I won’t pursue-”

“No.”

Rather than be relieved, Brian grew frustrated. “Then what’s the problem? I can’t think of another reason why this-” Brian corrected himself, “-why _I_ would be so offensive to you. Unless you’re lying to me-”

“Brian-”

“-or you’re hiding something from me. Whatever problem you’re facing, whatever you think I can’t handle-”

“That’s not-”

“-I can, and you’re wrong. Because I want to be there for you Tim and I want you to be able to trust me.”

Tim’s voice wavered, thick with self-loathing and fear. His shoulders were stiff and tense and he still refused to look Brian in the eyes, even as he growled out his defensive words. “If you knew, you’d hate me.”

Brian’s face twisted, and he finally raised his voice. They’d known each other for far too long and had grown too close for Brian to simply accept that. Tim, in all his flaws, could never be anything but perfect to Brian. And they knew that, both of them. There was no hiding how they felt anymore, no hiding who they were, and Brian had shared everything about himself with Tim. Night after night, they had spent so much time together that Tim was a necessity, a piece of him that he couldn’t afford to lose. Having Tim think that after everything they had done, that Brian might in some way hate him…

That was what pushed Brian to yell.

"How can you possibly think that I could ever HATE you? You- There is nothing, NOTHING you could EVER do to stop me from loving you. Because you-”

"Don’t!” Tim’s voice was shrill now, and he was on the verge of breaking. Brian went to continue, barely pronouncing the letter "I-" before Tim turned sharply, and pushed Brian’s chest back with his hands. He was forced backwards, and stumbled slightly as Tim shoved him. But there was one vital mistake made; he had turned around, and in doing so, revealed his face.

Small porcelain daggers stuck over his bottom lip, canine teeth much longer than Brian had ever seen before on Tim, much less on any human. His sweet chocolate eyes had gone deep scarlet like the petals on a rose; enchanting and beautiful, but clearly doing their best to hide the thorns inside of them. His lower lip trembling, watching the expression on Brian’s face (which was a mix of shock and horror) before he cast his own eyes downward shamefully.

“I told you.” His voice was low, forcing out the words like a wounded animal. “I’m…”

Brian finished his sentence for him, still gazing at him as if he’d come from a different dimension. He hadn’t quite expected this turn of events. “A _vampire?_ ”

Tim lowered his head even further, like the mere word was enough to crush him. He didn’t deny it, nor did he try to hide it any longer. His posture reflected that of a man in judgment, waiting for the final sentencing, the outcome. He knew Brian would reject him, but it was how.

Brian studied him further, mind working as if it were in slow motion. Vampires weren’t real, right? And if they were, weren’t they monsters? Bloodsuckers that preyed upon the innocent during the night? They were callous and cold creatures who were, in every right, murderers. It didn’t make sense for them to exist, nor for Tim to be one of them.

Tim didn’t fit that dark and evil profile at all. He was warm and sweet, and would never do anything to hurt or endanger Brian. He had had every opportunity to kill Brian since the moment they met, but he never touched him. Not until now. And even so, hadn’t he been trying to warn Brian, to tell him to stay away? He’d done his best to keep not just the truth from Brian, but the danger he posed, refusing to kiss him further because he was scared of what he could do.

Tim wasn’t dangerous, not to Brian. And any doubt Brian had melted away with that thought and he puffed up his chest a little with confidence. Just because Tim was a little threatening (alright, maybe a VERY threatening), it didn’t mean he’d just stop having feelings for him. “So what?”

Tim’s mouth pulled down into a sharp frown, scowling. “What?”

“I said, _so what?_ ”

Tim didn’t seem to understand, jaw working furiously as he tried to scrounge up the proper words. “You saw what I am; you know what I can do. Aren’t you- you should be scared!”

The fact that Tim had to point out Brian’s lack of worry just reinforced his affirmation that Tim was perfectly safe. For Brian, it was like looking at a puppy and trying to claim that it was horrifyingly dangerous. And yes, he knew that Tim did pose a real threat, but he couldn’t bring himself to face that possibility. Not yet.

“Just because you’re a little-”

“Terrifying?”

“I was going to say _different_ -”

Tim scoffed.

“-it doesn’t mean you’re an entirely different person. You’re still you.”

The dark crimson glow of his eyes seemed to fade a little, the chocolate seeping back in. He bit his lip slightly and then shook his head. “Brian, I don’t think you understand…”

“No, I understand perfectly.”

An agitated huff followed from Tim, “Then don’t you see why this won’t work? It’s- we’re in a predator and prey situation. I’m bound to end up hurting you or worse!”

Brian took that into consideration. Yes, death was a very plausible outcome now that he thought about it. But that little voice inside of him wanted to trust Tim, it believed that death sounded pretty okay if it meant he got to love Tim. Still, it was a big move, especially for someone he’d only known for under a year. Was he really willing to risk everything, his own life, for Tim?

He chose to align himself with his feelings and spoke. “Not if we’re cautious.”

Tim stared at him, completely dumbfounded. His words came out slow and steady, as if Brian had suddenly gone deaf to him. “Listen to me very carefully; I’m dangerous. I could kill you right now if I wanted to.”

“But you haven’t.”

“Well, no, but-”

Brian interrupted him. “I know you. And I know you wouldn’t-”

“Don’t! Don’t even start with that whole “I don’t care what you are, I’ll always love you” shit. You don’t know what I’m capable of, hell, what I’ve _done!_ You don’t know the real me. What if I’m not able to stop myself? What if, what if…” Tim’s voice fell. “Brian I don’t want to hurt you.”

Before Brian could even speak, Tim let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his dark locks, closing his eyes. “You still wanna try this though, don’t you?”

He nodded, watching as Tim’s fangs began to retract slowly (he’d have to ask Tim about his lifestyle and all sorts of questions later, when they weren’t facing such a moral dilemma. He was rather curious after all). “I think we can do this. I mean, you- you did like kissing me, didn’t you?”

His cheeks flushed a little as he tried to express that better, realizing how silly he sounded. “I-I mean, you stopped because of the blood not cause-”

Tim cracked a little smile at that, the corners of mouth curling as he suppressed a laugh. “I like you. If that’s what you’re asking.”

Brian let out a relieved sigh. A giddy sort of laugh followed and he couldn’t help but smile now, glad to know for sure his feelings were reciprocated. Really, he should be freaking out or staying as far away as possible from Tim considering he was a vampire. But that’s what makes Brian who he is. He’d dive straight into danger if it meant keeping Tim happy, if it meant he could love him, even if the danger was Tim himself.

“So, a vampire…” He mused playfully, …”does this mean you can turn into a bat?”

“You’re an idiot, Brian Thomas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully more to come. Gosh, they're just so precious, aren't they?? Ah, I love 'em!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy, this one is more angsty and less fluffy. Heads up if you don't like blood/mild violence. The boys are relatively okay by the end of it though so don't worry

Tim, could not, as Brian soon found out, turn into a bat. Nor could he fly or have any issues when walking on hallowed ground. Garlic had no affect on him (he simply didn’t like Italian food) nor did he ever have to worry about bursting into flames upon touching a silver object. Several key elements of vampire lore proved to be inaccurate, though there were a few that Brian found to hold true.

For example, Tim had no reflection. Brian didn’t believe him at first, laughing and dismissing it as another unfounded myth before Tim walked him down to the bathrooms (as they shared one with a few guys in their hall) and pointed to the mirror above the sink. There stood Brian and a floating pair of jeans and a dark green flannel. He looked between the mirror and Tim a few times like he was watching a tennis game, going back and forth before finally wrapping his head around the fact that Tim really did have no reflection. (Brian figured this was probably why Tim’s hair was always so ruffled and unkempt. Or perhaps it was like that naturally…).

Tim didn’t explode when standing in direct sunlight, and to Brian’s dismay, he didn’t sparkle (though he did claim it was very easy for him to get sun burn and it lasted much longer. Prolonged exposure could result in death). Brian did ask about his sleeping habits and why he slept through the day then, but Tim avoided answering and vaguely replied that it had nothing to do with being a vampire. He explained it was just because he preferred to avoid other people and since he had the opportunity to take evening classes, he had no reason to be up during daylight hours. Brian felt that Tim’s introvert story wasn’t totally accurate (he suspected that he had depression) but he never pried further and Tim never truthfully told.

Brian also assumed Tim had to be centuries old and asked him what it would be like to see the years stretch on indefinitely. Tim replied to say he wondered what that would be like as well, before explaining that he had only been turned a few years ago. It shocked Brian to find out that Tim was just as new to the idea of being a vampire as he was, but it was almost comforting. It meant Tim understood modern references and had lived a life somewhat similar to Brian’s. It was even more relieving when Brian found out that he was actually older than Tim (but only by a few months).

Surprisingly, Tim didn’t seem very irritated with Brian’s frequent questions. If anything, he seemed to kind of enjoy them because Brian, as Tim so eloquently put it, “was really hot when he got excited”. Brian had no intentions of making it a regular thing between the two of them (really, he was just a curious person. He felt that he was acting as any person would in such a situation, eagerly taking in as much information as he could about his vampire boyfriend. He grinned. _Boyfriend_ ) but soon, they found themselves taking a small section of their day to address questions they had about each other (though they were mostly about Tim). Whatever remained unknown between them before had vanished, and they could each honestly answer nearly everything about the other.

Drinking blood was the one aspect of being a vampire that Tim didn’t enjoy talking about however. He would reassure Brian a million times over that he would never hurt him, that he would never take his blood. Brian didn’t need to hear Tim say it aloud as he already knew and felt perfectly comfortable and safe around Tim. He reminded Tim that every time Tim brought the topic up. Nonetheless, Tim continued to worry and stress about it, frequently telling Brian that their relationship was a very bad idea. So Brian tried to avoid that topic as often as possible, because it always left Tim in a reclusive and nervous sort of state afterwards.

A few weeks had passed since the night of their confessions, and not much had changed about their relationship status. They were comfortable cuddling now, and Brian would occasionally wake up to find Tim curled up in his bed with his face buried in his chest (it always made his heart flutter nervously and he wanted to squeeze and hold Tim closer, but he knew that Tim was sleeping and he didn’t want to accidentally wake him. Most times, Brian would just close his eyes and enjoy the bliss). But they hadn’t tried kissing again. Tim was very nervous and worried about it (he admitted that he wasn’t entirely in control of himself when he bit Brian’s lip. Everything was hazy for him, and he told Brian he was surprised he didn’t drain him right then and there) and Brian was perfectly okay with taking their time.

As the days progressed however, Brian noticed something was wrong with Tim. He became quieter, and was prone to snap at little things now, not acting in quite the same way. It was almost like Tim was avoiding Brian now, and he smoked almost a pack a day now (well, a pack a _night_ ). Brian could feel a barrier form between the two of them now, something he’d worked so hard to remove, and it genuinely scared him. Was Tim regretting his decision to go out with Brian? Did he not like him, was there something he was doing wrong? Brian was too scared to ask.

And then, not more than two months after, something happened to bring them closer than they had ever been.

Brian had his head on his book, nearly asleep, with his cheek smashed against the side of the page that rambled on and on about osmosis and diffusion. He should’ve been studying, as there was an exam tomorrow and he needed to ace it or else he risked bringing his grade down to a very low, but still passing, D-. But the only thing that was on his mind was Tim. Tim, and the way his hair curled at the end of his raven tips. Tim, and the way he smelled like pine needles and cigarette smoke. Tim, and the way he looked at Brian with those awfully beautiful and tragic eyes. It consumed him until the darker thoughts bubbled up again; why was he avoiding Brian?

He’d disappeared sometime yesterday night without notice and normally Brian would have been worried. But Tim had been doing this rather frequently as of late, leaving without warning and then reappearing in a few days time. Brian didn’t understand why and Tim would never tell him. His heart gave a low pang and he was very tempted to let out a sigh and moan his pathetic frustration, but fortunately he didn’t. Because that was when the door creaked open.

Brian sat up and directed his gaze to the disheveled man before him. The buttons on his shirt were done up wrong and the back of his hair was tufted up in disarray. Dark circles lined his eyes, which glowed a soft crimson color as they analyzed Brian from across the room. Something was terribly wrong.

"Tim? Are you alright? You look kind of… out of it…"

Tim stared at him blankly for a long moment, as if he hadn’t heard what Brian said. "What?"

Brian huffed, shutting his book and stretching as he got to his feet and walked across the floor. He shut the door quietly and let his gaze drift back to Tim, who was still staring at Brian with those round and melancholy eyes that told him Tim was terribly confused and lost.

In a gentle and forgiving tone, Brian repeated himself. "I asked if you were alri-"

"Brian."

"What?"

"Kiss me."

Brian was a little startled, blinking a few times and did a little laugh to follow, baffled. Not that he didn’t _want_ to kiss Tim, it was simply so sudden and really, it was a drastic change from the feelings Tim was harboring before. Even now, his expression had solidified and the confusion and hesitance that was there had completely having vanished. Had Brian imagined Tim being so lost before, or had his mood really changed that suddenly?

He felt his cheeks flush as his mouth tried desperately to work, but it only fumbled out a dumb phrase. "I- I uh, what?"

Tim drew closer and bridged the gap between them, running a finger along Brian’s chest before pressing his palm to Brian and forcing him backwards. His back touched up against the wall and Tim smiled darkly, pressing his body up against his. Brian’s heart hammered furiously whilst Tim’s didn’t even beat, and the calm and somewhat serious expression on his face displayed that.

"Kiss me."

"I thought you said-"

"Look at me." Brian’s eyes fell on Tim’s, albeit reluctantly.

"You want this… don’t you?"

An overwhelming compulsion inside him wanted to scream yes, and he found he couldn’t break Tim’s gaze. Was this some other ability Tim forgot to mention, or was he simply that desperate for Tim? It was probably the latter of the two, but Brian didn’t want to admit how terribly in love he was for Tim just yet (they had just started dating after all).

"Y-yeah but, you-"

Tim’s finger pressed to Brian’s lips and shushed him (he knew something was definitely wrong now. Pushing him against the wall, pressing a finger to his lips? Tim was a shy, awkward sort of person. He would never be into such a display of dominance… though it’s not like Brian was going to stop him).

Brian’s eyes flashed in surprise as even more heat rushed to his face. Tim brought his mouth close to Brian’s ear and whispered, the hot breath on his skin leaving Brian to shudder. "Trust me."

Brian couldn’t clearly remember the next few seconds, still not sure if Tim was really here or if he was dreaming. Tim clarified that for him rather quickly, and soon Brian found himself locked in a heated embrace.

Tim’s lips were rough, chapped, though Brian wasn’t sure if they had always been like that or he had merely noticed this time. He forced his body on to Brian and simultaneously pinned him up against the wall, hands digging into the nape of his neck. He was certain his heart had stopped beating (or was it beating so fast that he couldn’t feel it anymore?). Brian, still stunned, found himself unconsciously kissing back, sweaty hands holding on to Tim and clinging as he tried not to appear as desperate as he was.

A soft gasp escaped him and Tim seemed to enjoy that, releasing Brian from the kiss to breathe and flash those pointed daggers at him in the dim lighting. His eyes were half lidded, but the crimson passion inside them could see straight through Brian and he knew that Tim could very well have him on his knees if he so pleased. His stomach churned guiltily at the thought.

Tim moved those broken lips along Brian’s jaw line, and then further, to a spot just above his collarbone. His neck quivered and pulsed in slight fear, but he trusted Tim and he was too caught up in the moment to really stop him. _He wouldn’t_ , Brian thought. _Right?_

But Brian was wrong.

Tim dug his teeth deep into Brian’s neck, and the sharp pain finally shook Brian from his ignorant and forgiving stupor. His hands, which had rested lazily on Tim’s back, now dug into his shirt as he tensed. He didn’t push Tim away, nor did he stop him. What was wrong with him? Here he was, faced with the possibility of dying, and he couldn’t bring himself to force Tim away.

He could feel slick red fluid run along his neck and it nearly made him sick. Brian forced a few words out, but speaking only made it worse.

"T-Tim, y-urhg, you-"

Tim wasn’t listening, sucking harder at the wound. Brian couldn’t help but release a moan and squeeze his eyes shut. His heart hammered harder now at the realization that Tim was deaf to his cries, though he was sure being scared would only make this worse. A faster pulse meant a faster death in his case.

Some tiny, pathetic part of him whispered that the bite itself actually didn’t feel too bad. If he survived, he wouldn’t mind recreating the event, so long as Tim warned him prior and would respect his limits. Unlike now, where he wasn’t stopping, even as Brian brought his hands up Tim’s shoulders and feebly pushed, but Tim was much stronger.

A wave of exhaustion crashed over him and he felt his knees buckle as he leaned more on Tim for support, a shaky breath escaping him. A numbness crept into his fingertips and he struggled to get words past his lips again.

"Tim, p-pl-ahg-"

He bit down harder and Brian whimpered, eyes fluttering shut.

" _P-please_."

All at once Tim released him and Brian’s body slumped against him. The world was spinning in and out of his focus and he only heard Tim’s voice as though it were from a distance.

“Oh my god,” He pressed a hand to Brian’s still bleeding neck and applied a firm pressure. His usually cold and clammy fingers were warm, and they shook slightly as they slipped on the scarlet substance. "I-I didn’t mean to- oh Brian, oh god, I’m sorry!"

Brian thought he said "Don’t apologize" in reply, but what really came out of his mouth sounded like an incoherent moan. The room flashed again before his eyes and he felt himself falling further into Tim's arms, the world swallowed in darkness as he passed out.

The next thing Brian knew, he was lying on the bed with Tim shaking him slightly, calling his name. Tim’s eyes had returned to their normal chocolate shade, and his fangs had vanished. The only abnormal thing Brian noticed about him was the blood that covered his chin and hands. That was his, wasn’t it?

He spoke slowly, even as Tim apologized over and over. Words were hard to form, especially when he felt _so tired_. "It’s… fine. You’re okay. I’m okay. Sounds... pretty okay to me…"

Tim looked terribly relieved to hear Brian’s response, and almost broke a smile upon seeing he was alive. If Tim wasn’t so worried about him or so wrapped up in his own guilt, he might’ve laughed too at his words. "No, it’s not okay! You- I could’ve killed you! I knew I shouldn’t have- Brian?" Panic crept into his voice, "Brian!"

Brian’s eyes forced themselves open again and he stared up at Tim tiredly. "I’m fine..."

Tim shook his head, letting one hand run along Brian’s cheek. "No, you’re not. I can’t believe I- oh god, I’m sorry. I was starving, I couldn’t find a safe place to… to drink. And you were there and just so easy to… I’m so sorry, I-I promise it’ll never happen again, I-"

Brian cut him off, "Don’t. I kinda… liked it…"

Tim nearly choked. Both of them were confused at the statement (Brian was honestly surprised he said it aloud, and Tim was horrified Brian would even begin to feel that way). "What? No, you’re confused and probably delusional in this state… You don’t know what you’re saying-"

"No. I do."

Tim’s lip trembled before his expression hardened and he firmly replied, voice shaking. "You don’t know what you’re asking. You don’t want this, you don’t want me to… You need to rest. Think about this, and I…" Tim didn’t finish.

Brian blinked slowly, hyperaware of the low thump his heart gave in an effort to keep him conscious. "I want to… help you. I have blood. You… need it… makes sense, doesn’t it?"

"No, it most certainly does not-"

"Tim." Those mournful eyes stared back into Brian’s as he was silenced. "I trust you."

Tim’s expression was mingled with longing and regret. Brian knew he was still fighting the awful urge to bite into his neck once more, knew that he felt that they were better off without each other. "You shouldn’t. Oh god, you shouldn’t."

A soft whimper followed as he continued, voice laden thick with guilt. "At this rate, I might just be the death of you…"

Tim wasn’t wrong of course. But Brian really couldn’t see what was so bad about dying, especially if it was at the hands of someone he loved. _Love_. It was a funny thing, wasn’t it? Or perhaps it was just the endorphins thinking for him, as really, Brian would be willing to do anything for Tim right now. Everything was so numb, he felt that even death would merely be a minor hurdle for them to get over.

Just before he drifted off into unconsciousness, he muttered a quiet reply. One that he was sure Tim would be mad at, but it was one he had to say, because he was certain it was true. And it was one he was entirely alright with.

"You already are."

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully more to come. Gosh, they're just so precious, aren't they?? Ah, I love 'em!


End file.
